Miss World Africa magnificence queen and Botswana's youngest cupboard minister

[ad_1] Anne Okumu & Brian Khisa BBC Information, Gaborone

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/513b/live/164e51d0-276f-11f0-8c66-ebf25fc2cfef.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/513b/live/164e51d0-276f-11f0-8c66-ebf25fc2cfef.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/513b/live/164e51d0-276f-11f0-8c66-ebf25fc2cfef.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/513b/live/164e51d0-276f-11f0-8c66-ebf25fc2cfef.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/513b/live/164e51d0-276f-11f0-8c66-ebf25fc2cfef.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/513b/live/164e51d0-276f-11f0-8c66-ebf25fc2cfef.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/513b/live/164e51d0-276f-11f0-8c66-ebf25fc2cfef.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/513b/live/164e51d0-276f-11f0-8c66-ebf25fc2cfef.jpg.webp" loading="eager" alt="Lesego Chombo/Instagram Lesego Chombo in a diamond tiara smiles - she's wearing a green dress with a single strap against a green background" class="sc-4abb68ca-0 ldLcJe"/> Lesego Chombo/Instagram Lesego Chombo's enthusiasm for all times is as infectious as her achievements are spectacular: she has received the Miss Botswana 2022 and Miss World Africa 2024 crowns, is a working lawyer, has arrange her personal charitable basis - and made historical past in November, turning into Botswana's youngest cupboard minister.

She was simply 26 years previous on the time - and had clearly impressed Botswana's incoming President Duma Boko, whose Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) had simply received a landslide, ousting the get together that had ruled for 58 years.

It was a seismic shift within the politics of the diamond-rich southern African nation - and Boko, a 55-year-old Harvard-trained lawyer, hit the bottom working.

His major focus, he stated, was fixing an financial system too reliant on diamonds, telling the BBC forward of his inauguration that he needed younger folks to be the answer - "to grow to be entrepreneurs, make use of themselves and make use of others".

Key to this was discovering an appropriate ambassador - and Chombo was clearly it: a younger lady already dedicated to varied causes.

He made her minister of youth and gender.

"I've by no means been extra proud to be younger," she advised the BBC on the ministry's headquarters within the capital, Gaborone.

"I am a teen residing in Botswana, enthusiastic about youth improvement, gender equality, but in addition so passionate in regards to the improvement of kids."

The wonder queen didn't marketing campaign to be an MP - she is what is known as a specifically elected member of parliament - and is now one in all simply six feminine MPs within the 69-member Nationwide Meeting.

Chombo stated turning into an MP after which minister got here as a whole shock to her.

"I received appointed by a president who had by no means met me," she stated.

"Miss World and the journey that I believed I used to be speculated to pursue as my remaining vacation spot was solely the platform by means of which I might be seen for this very position."

It was her crowning as Miss Botswana in 2022 that raised her profile and enabled her to marketing campaign for social change, whereas attempting to encourage different younger girls.

It additionally gave her the chance to arrange the Lesego Chombo Basis, which focuses on supporting deprived kids and their mother and father in rural areas – and which she remains to be concerned with, its initiatives funded by company corporations and others.

"We attempt to have a world the place we really feel seen and heard and represented. I am very thrilled that I occur to be the very essence of that illustration," she stated.

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/6e99/live/a4b90f50-276f-11f0-b26b-ab62c890638b.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/6e99/live/a4b90f50-276f-11f0-b26b-ab62c890638b.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/6e99/live/a4b90f50-276f-11f0-b26b-ab62c890638b.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/6e99/live/a4b90f50-276f-11f0-b26b-ab62c890638b.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/6e99/live/a4b90f50-276f-11f0-b26b-ab62c890638b.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/6e99/live/a4b90f50-276f-11f0-b26b-ab62c890638b.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/6e99/live/a4b90f50-276f-11f0-b26b-ab62c890638b.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/6e99/live/a4b90f50-276f-11f0-b26b-ab62c890638b.jpg.webp" loading="lazy" alt="Lesego Chombo/Instagram Lesego Chombo in a black legal gown and white collar. Wearing red lipstick, she is seated on a bench with others in a courtroom and is looking to the side - not at the camera." class="sc-4abb68ca-0 ldLcJe"/> Lesego Chombo/Instagram Lesego Chombo, now 27, is an affiliate at a regulation agency in Gaborone

As she ready for final 12 months's Miss World pageant, she stated: "I actually put myself within the zone of service. I actually channelled it for this large crown."

Now in political workplace, she is conscious of the expectations positioned on her in a rustic the place roughly 60% of the inhabitants is beneath 35 years.

It additionally has a excessive degree of unemployment - 28%, which is even increased for younger folks and girls who've restricted financial alternatives and battle systemic corruption.

Chombo stated this was one thing she was decided to vary: "At the moment in Botswana, the charges of unemployment are so excessive.

"But it surely's not simply the speed of unemployment, it is also simply the sphere of youth improvement.

"It is missing, and so my want is to create an ecosystem, an atmosphere, a society, an financial system through which youth can thrive."

Chombo stated her plan was to develop a complete system that nurtured youth-led initiatives, strengthened entrepreneurship and ensured younger folks had a seat on the desk when selections have been being made.

With Botswana's anti-corruption coverage present process a rigorous evaluation, she stated this may be certain that quotas for younger entrepreneurs - when state departments and businesses put out tenders for items and providers - have been really reached.

The federal government has begun a 10-month forensic audit of presidency spending that may embody 30 state-owned enterprises.

Certainly President Boko is intent on cracking down on corruption, seeing this as a technique to bolter investor confidence and diversify the financial system - one thing his deputy has been searching for to do on latest journeys to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Switzerland.

And a key deal has now been secured with UAE-based CCI International, a supplier of enterprise course of outsourcing, to open a hub in Botswana.

Whereas youth improvement is a central pillar of her work, gender fairness additionally stays near her coronary heart.

Her brief time in workplace has coincided with a rising outcry over gender-based violence.

In accordance with a United Nations Inhabitants Fund (UNFPA) report, over 67% of ladies in Botswana have skilled abuse, greater than double the worldwide common.

"It hurts to know that it might be me subsequent," she admitted.

A month into her appointment, she was criticised for voting towards an opposition movement in parliament to create "peace desks" at police stations and Justice of the Peace courts to shortly take care of victims.

On the time she stated such provisions already existed inside the regulation and what was wanted was extra public consciousness.

This was adopted in January by a police report noting that at the least 100 girls had been raped and one other 10 murdered in the course of the festive season - this prompted public outrage with many lashing out at her on social media over the problem.

The minister reiterated - on a number of events, together with earlier than parliament in March - that Botswana had many legal guidelines and techniques in place and what was necessary was to make sure these they have been really utilized.

However she advised the BBC the federal government could be pushing for the implementation of a Gender-Primarily based Violence Act, geared toward closing authorized loopholes which have lengthy hindered justice for survivors.

She stated she was additionally advocating a extra holistic strategy, involving the ministries of well being, schooling and native authorities.

"We wish curriculums that promote gender fairness from a younger age," Chombo stated.

"We need to educate youngsters what gender-based violence is and learn how to forestall it.

"It's going to boil right down to inclusion of educating gender fairness at house, how mother and father behave round their youngsters, how they mannequin good behaviour."

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/e6a3/live/d0a26550-2786-11f0-8f57-b7237f6a66e6.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/e6a3/live/d0a26550-2786-11f0-8f57-b7237f6a66e6.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/e6a3/live/d0a26550-2786-11f0-8f57-b7237f6a66e6.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/e6a3/live/d0a26550-2786-11f0-8f57-b7237f6a66e6.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/e6a3/live/d0a26550-2786-11f0-8f57-b7237f6a66e6.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/e6a3/live/d0a26550-2786-11f0-8f57-b7237f6a66e6.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/e6a3/live/d0a26550-2786-11f0-8f57-b7237f6a66e6.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/e6a3/live/d0a26550-2786-11f0-8f57-b7237f6a66e6.jpg.webp" loading="lazy" alt="Lesego Chombo/Instagram Lesego Chombo in a blue suit with a Miss World Africa sash bhold the hands of young girls" class="sc-4abb68ca-0 ldLcJe"/> Lesego Chombo/Instagram Lesego Chombo has used her fame to push her initiatives for social change - specializing in younger folks

She has additionally been vocal about the necessity to tackle points affecting males, notably round psychological well being and constructive masculinity, encouraging chiefs "to make sure that our patriarchal tradition will not be actively perpetuating gender violence".

"I hear lots of people say: 'Why do you communicate of ladies greater than males?'

"It is as a result of because it stands in society, girls are largely prejudiced [against].

"However after we communicate of gender equality, we're saying that it ought to be utilized equally for everybody. However what we try for is gender fairness."

Chombo, who studied regulation on the College of Botswana, stated she was grateful to her mom and different sturdy girls for uplifting her - saying that girls needed to work "10 occasions more durable" to succeed.

"[My mother] has managed to create an atmosphere for me to thrive. And rising up, I received to understand that it is not a straightforward factor.

"As girls, we face so many pressures: 'A lady can not do that. A lady cannot do this. A lady cannot be younger and in management.' I am at present dealing with that."

She additionally credited Julia Morley, the CEO of Miss World, for serving to her: "She has managed to create a legacy of what we name magnificence with a goal for thus many younger women internationally.

"She has simply impressed us so deeply to take up social duty."

Chombo is severe about this. The wonder queen-cum-lawyer-cum-minister is aware of she has made historical past - however can also be conscious that her actual work has solely simply begun.

"Impression. Tangible affect. That is what success would appear to be to me," she stated.

"I need to look again and see that it's there and it's sustainable. That once I depart, another person is ready to carry it by means of."

Further reporting from Harmless Selatlhwa in Gaborone

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